Trip report: Vier Jahreszeiten Hamburg
 

Introduction I was in Hamburg 2 times this year and both times stayed at the Vier Jahreszeiten, which I know from&nbsp;few other stays before. The 2 main reasons for my decision were&nbsp;the location and the good value with Virtuoso or FHR. With both programs you get a dinner for 2 with softdrinks at Jahreszeiten Grill or Doc Chengs. Check In We also got a welcome letter which was a no go for me. The address was: "Sehr geehrte(r) Herr..." which means, that it`s both for men and women. From a luxury hotel I expect that the letter is&nbsp;personalized and&nbsp; is titled&nbsp;correctly.The door at the VJ is not the best in the world, this time we had to wait a few minutes before the&nbsp;older doorman had handeled his other duties and was ready to take care&nbsp;of our car and luggage. At check-in the guy in front of me got an upgrade from a Courtyard Junior Suite to an Alster Junior Suite as I got at my last stay. The check-in was fast, but no upgrade for me this time. But the suite&nbsp;was supposed to&nbsp;be renovated. Room Considering the Alster Junior Suite is priced double (660,00 €) I don`t think it`s worth it. The view is not bad and the suite slightly better, but not worth 325,00 € more.<img style="width: 1024px; height: 678px;" alt="" src="/forum/hotelreview/uploads/userreviewimages/94403/images/DSC_0037.jpg"><img style="width: 1024px; height: 678px;" alt="" src="/forum/hotelreview/uploads/userreviewimages/94403/images/DSC_0032.jpg"><img style="width: 1024px; height: 678px;" alt="" src="/forum/hotelreview/uploads/userreviewimages/94403/images/DSC_0031.jpg"><img alt="" src="/forum/hotelreview/uploads/userreviewimages/94403/images/DSC_0035.jpg"><img alt="" src="/forum/hotelreview/uploads/userreviewimages/94403/images/DSC_0034.jpg"><img style="width: 1024px; height: 678px;" alt="" src="/forum/hotelreview/uploads/userreviewimages/94403/images/DSC_0040.jpg"><img alt="" src="/forum/hotelreview/uploads/userreviewimages/94403/images/DSC_0039.jpg"><img style="width: 1024px; height: 678px;" alt="" src="/forum/hotelreview/uploads/userreviewimages/94403/images/DSC_0033.jpg"><img style="width: 1024px; height: 678px;" alt="" src="/forum/hotelreview/uploads/userreviewimages/94403/images/DSC_0030.jpg">Last time we had an Alster Junior Suite which was slightly bigger:<img alt="" src="/forum/hotelreview/uploads/userreviewimages/94403/images/IMG_0462.JPG"><img alt="" src="/forum/hotelreview/uploads/userreviewimages/94403/images/IMG_0461.JPG"><img alt="" src="/forum/hotelreview/uploads/userreviewimages/94403/images/IMG_0460.JPG"><img alt="" src="/forum/hotelreview/uploads/userreviewimages/94403/images/IMG_0459.JPG"><img alt="" src="/forum/hotelreview/uploads/userreviewimages/94403/images/IMG_0456.JPG"><img alt="" src="/forum/hotelreview/uploads/userreviewimages/94403/images/IMG_0457.JPG"><img style="width: 2592px; height: 1936px;" alt="" src="/forum/hotelreview/uploads/userreviewimages/94403/images/IMG_0454(1).JPG"><img alt="" src="/forum/hotelreview/uploads/userreviewimages/94403/images/IMG_0453.JPG"><img alt="" src="/forum/hotelreview/uploads/userreviewimages/94403/images/IMG_0452.JPG">Pictures (sorry forgot my camera):An issue was the cleanness. We found a hair in the tub and on the heated towel rail was dust.Over all the room was OK for a one night stay and with 335 € fairly priced. For a longer stay I think it`s too small. The view to the "gardened courtyard" was ugly, they&nbsp;might&nbsp;as well have&nbsp;bricked up the windows. It woudn`t have been a loss.Our Courtyard Junior Suite was on the 3rd floor which smelled fresh and was indeed just renovated. The room itself was not too big with a sitting area and a nice bed seperated by a column. The bathroom was nice enough with 2 sinks, shower, bidet and tub. We also had a walk in closet. Service <img alt="" src="/forum/hotelreview/uploads/userreviewimages/94403/images/IMG_0463.JPG">The service is over all friendly. What I didn`t liked was that they store the room-service-trays on the foor. Dining The breakfast is nothing to write home about. The selection of food in mediocre as is the food itself. They have some really cheap mozzarella. Considering they charge 35,00 € for the breakfast I would&nbsp;advice eating somewhere else if it`s not included.Much better is the Doc Chengs, an euro-asiatic restaurant. With the Virtuoso-voucher you may choose 3 courses from the menu without limitation. All softdrinks including non-alcoholic cocktails and coffee are complimentary. The service was good and the food nice. Perhaps a little bit overpriced, but since I didn`t have to pay I can`t complain. The dinner would have cost about 130,00 €.At our first Virtuoso stay we ate at the Jahreszeiten Grill. I found it terrible. Mediocre food and an awful atmosphere.&nbsp;A group of 15 people between 50 and 70 had an etiquette course, so they got lessons how to eat etc. Laughable! We&nbsp;got a fixed menu&nbsp;and they didn`t really tell us in advance&nbsp;what they would serve.We never ate at their 2 michelin star restaurant Haerlin, as the free Virtuoso-dinner is not valid at Haerlin and you don`t get a credit. We always only stay one night. Location It`s situated at the Binnenalster, only a very short walk from the main shopping district as well as many tourist sights. I thinks it`s perfect. Overall For me the value with the free dinner is unbeatable in Hamburg. Also I think it`s still the number one in Hamburg.

Have they finally added air-conditioning? We were there some years ago in July with a river front suite and they had to bring in loud portable units to keep the rooms cool. Although most German hotels are like that, just wondering if this one has gotten any better?

I think they got air-con in 2008

Thanks for this. I haven't stayed here for a number of years now as I'm usually at the Louis Jacob (or Park Hyatt if in town). Some of the gaffes you mention are just unforgivable!

Louis Jacob is a fine hotel, but for me location is an issue. I never tried Park Hyatt but always think about it. But I always end at Vier Jahreszeiten, perhaps next time.

Hamburg is (sort of) my home town. This is why I have an issue with the hotels there. As a (sort of) native of Harvestehude the 4JZ should appeal, but it never really has (the lobby and bar excepted). I've stayed many times in the 90s and early 2000s but wanted it to be more special. In 2004 I discovered the LCJ, and, as a great fan of the Elbvororten, I love the hotel. There is a great local Italian restaurant in Nienstedten and the bar at the hotel, especially in the summer, is just the best place to be. Most of my meetings are not in offices, so people are happy to come to see me. The LCJ works.

The Park Hyatt is a recent discovery (maybe two years ago). I don't really like the Mönckebergstraße side of the Alster too much. You can find that stuff anywhere. But the PH is a good hotel, with very Hanseatic rooms, in a good location, if you want/need to be in that part of HH. I'm interested to try the long stay/budget concept of Jost Dietmar, the MD of the LCJ, also on Bugenhagenstraße (I forget the name).